Is the Comox Valley ready for garlic-flavoured gelato? The folks at Amara Farm seem to think so. The gelato, along with garlic breads, jam, and braids, will be featured at their first annual Garlic Festival on August 11th from 12-3pm at 2641 Kirby Road.
“We think the demand for flavourful garlic is really strong in the Comox Valley”, states Arzeena Hamir, owner of Amara Farm. “We’ve seen how successful garlic scapes have been as a product and when we sold garlic jam at the farmer’s market, it sold out in less than one hour. People in the valley love good garlic!”
The farm grows two different varieties of garlic, Music and Italian Softneck, which are strong-flavoured but not hot. In addition to their own garlic, Hamir has also invited other farmers to come and sell their garlic so varieties such as Korean Red and Red Russian will also be available.
Thanks to some careful experimenting by the owners of Legato Gelato, two different kinds of garlic gelato will be available for sampling, exclusively available at Amara Farm. A “Garlic Lover’s” flavour features flecks of raw garlic while the “Hint of Garlic” is a sweet vanilla with creamy roasted garlic.
Festival goers will be able to stroll the grounds, listening to local musicians, and participate in a silent auction featuring art by Brian Scott, Medwyn McConachy, and Romona Gregory, plumbing, photography and massage services, and much more. Kids will enjoy making garlic-inspired crafts, face painting, and playing in the straw bale area.
Proceeds from the silent auction, soda sales, and gelato profits will be donated to he legal expense fund for local registered midwife Katie McNiven Gladman, in support of her recent appeal to St Joseph’s General Hospital. For more information, please visit: www.katiethemidwife.com.
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